Are you sure you want to exit? Your progress will be lost.
Who are you caring for?
Which best describes their mobility?
How well are they maintaining their hygiene?
How are they managing their medications?
Does their living environment pose any safety concerns?
Fall risks, spoiled food, or other threats to wellbeing
Are they experiencing any memory loss?
Which best describes your loved one's social life?
Acknowledgment of Disclosures and Authorization
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid. We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour. APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment. You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
✔
I acknowledge and authorize
✔
I consent to the collection of my consumer health data.*
✔
I consent to the sharing of my consumer health data with qualified home care agencies.*
*If I am consenting on behalf of someone else, I have the proper authorization to do so. By clicking Get My Results, you agree to our Privacy Policy. You also consent to receive calls and texts, which may be autodialed, from us and our customer communities. Your consent is not a condition to using our service. Please visit our Terms of Use. for information about our privacy practices.
Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
Remember, this assessment is not a substitute for professional advice.
Share a few details and we will match you to trusted home care in your area:
Dad has severe dementia and is in assisted living. He is delusional and re-direct absolutely does not work with him. Sever agitation; he believes his delusions and thinks of them 42/7. He is on calming meds but is now refusing them. Help!
If he is in an assisted living facility let staff do their jobs. Severe dementia only gets worse, and for your sake, I suggest you start visiting less frequently. There will be an end to his suffering and you tormenting yourself over his condition will not help you. Love him for the time he has left, and accept he will be gone no matter what you do. My best for all concerned.
Surely the facility medical people know how to administer meds if a patient won't cooperate. Isn't it a common occurrence with dementia that medication (and most everything else) is resisted?
I had to cope with this when my elderly mother refused to swallow pills any more. She had creative and sometimes funny ways to dispose of them, but before long I found her out. Then the doctor was a big help to provide alternatives. Now her meds either are in liquid form -- mixed with acai juice (someone said they use Gatorade which is a good idea too, for the electrolytes) -- or crushed. For the crushed pills, I use a mix of Jif crunchy peanut butter (Mom's favorite) with Nutella to thin it a bit. This goes on a Ritz cracker, Mom thinks it's a treat and the medicine goes right down.
But not all pills should be crushed. The doctor must get involved with this. For example, we had to change her blood pressure prescription.
Whatever the fix, this challenge does not belong on your shoulders. If ever there was a situation which demanded delegation to someone else, this is it. Blessings to you for quick success in empowering the staff to resolve the issue with meds and anything else that comes up.
I think there is a point in this disease where re-directing is totally ineffective. It might work early on and in the very late stages but not in the middle stages. At least it didn't where my Dad was concerned. Many AD patients become so fixated on an idea or obsessed with an idea that they just won't give up on it, no matter what you try. Even if you can deflect them for a moment or two, they will still go back to it. That's just the way their brain is geared now. Sometimes its just best to agree with whatever delusion or fixation the person might have and let him believe what he wants to believe, as long as he isn't hurting himself. As for "calming" meds, whether they work or not just really depends on the person I think. We tried several with my Dad, but it just made him worse. He's gotten to the point where he really doesn't fixate on ideas as much as he used to...I guess it gets better as the disease progresses, which is a sad thing to say.
Try Reiki. Find a seasoned practitioner. Twice a week, Mom has a treatment and actually reconnects after. A friend on FB read my post and decided to try it with her agitated father. He stays happier longer and speaks more clearly after just 1/2 hour of treatment. Like everything with this brain disease, you have to give it more than one try. If you are reading this and live in Massachusetts, go to Christine at Gentle Woman Reiki. She is miraculous. Wishing you and your Dad wellness.
All very good input. I noticed you say your dad has severe dementia yet is an assisted living. Do you mean assisted living as opposed to nursing home, locked Alzheimer's care or memory care? Is he yet hospice appropriate? The staff at assisted living, if that's really the type of place he is, are often not equipped to deal more assertively with behavioral problems and medication issues. Many times they have a hands-off, the patient has rights, approach, which is frustrating for you to deal with and certainly not good for your dad, especially when he needs more, not less, medication as his condition progresses to worsening, which it inevitably guys. The facilities with experienced staff have creative ways to get the medicine down. As already indicated, liquids, crushed (only when approved) and at it too tasty foods or even something as simple as coming back at 5 or 10 minute intervals until they catch the patient in a less resistant mood. Only you can evaluate, but your dad may need to be in a different type of facility.
My mom was severely agitated and I started her on Prevagen. The company makes all kinds of claims of improvement in function, which I haven't seen. However, what I have notice is a huge decrease in her agitation. She still get upset about but the "meltdowns" have become far less severe and much shorter in duration. Getting her to take them sometimes be a challenge, but I wait her out and remind her she needs to stay healthy and the "Doctor said so" (I hate doing that but it really does help with that generation.) Prevagan can be found at Rite-Aid and Wallgreens. It's an OTC supplement so insurance doesn't pay. You can also find it on line. If you buy in bulk the official web site is cheapest, if not Vitacost is the cheapest single purchase I've found. I know I sound like I'm working for the company (I don't) but it really has helped my mom - just spreading the word. Good Luck!
Music can be the best solution for soothing agitation for people with dementia.
Music can do wonders for individuals in the mid stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. There have been many studies done that indicate the positive impact of music. I suggest that you get an i-pod and download music that your father knew and loved when he was younger. I know this helped my mother particularly when she was sundowning. If you are interested I am attaching a link to an article that discusses the beneficial impact of music and Alzheimer’s.
Thanx, goober, for that feedback. I've never heard of such divisions of care level here in California. Of course California seems to be operating at bankruptcy level for the last ten to fifteen years. Good to know Texas has that availability. Just make sure they are stepping up to the standards of care they're supposed to be offering. There should ALWAYS be a way to get the person their medication because without it everything else just deteriorates.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
I had to cope with this when my elderly mother refused to swallow pills any more. She had creative and sometimes funny ways to dispose of them, but before long I found her out. Then the doctor was a big help to provide alternatives. Now her meds either are in liquid form -- mixed with acai juice (someone said they use Gatorade which is a good idea too, for the electrolytes) -- or crushed. For the crushed pills, I use a mix of Jif crunchy peanut butter (Mom's favorite) with Nutella to thin it a bit. This goes on a Ritz cracker, Mom thinks it's a treat and the medicine goes right down.
But not all pills should be crushed. The doctor must get involved with this. For example, we had to change her blood pressure prescription.
Whatever the fix, this challenge does not belong on your shoulders. If ever there was a situation which demanded delegation to someone else, this is it. Blessings to you for quick success in empowering the staff to resolve the issue with meds and anything else that comes up.
Music can do wonders for individuals in the mid stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. There have been many studies done that indicate the positive impact of music. I suggest that you get an i-pod and download music that your father knew and loved when he was younger. I know this helped my mother particularly when she was sundowning. If you are interested I am attaching a link to an article that discusses the beneficial impact of music and Alzheimer’s.